Given name & surname · also Greek
Diego
“he who supplants”
Diego is a form of James. James is traditionally associated with “he who supplants” through its connection with Jacob. The explanation belongs to the biblical Jacob story, rather than describing a separate meaning created by the English spelling James.
Original GreekΝτιέγκο
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Spanish use, Diego carries the interpretation “he who supplants.” Diego is a form of James. James is traditionally associated with “he who supplants” through its connection with Jacob. The explanation belongs to the biblical Jacob story, rather than describing a separate meaning created by the English spelling James.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Greek, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
Diego is used as a form of James. Diego is a form of James. The shared background comes through James: The route to James passes through Late Latin Iacomus, a variant of the Latin form of Jacob. This different Latin development helps explain how James and Jacob could become distinct English names while retaining the same older origin.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1887. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Diego is a form of James. The history of James gives this family its wider story. James was borne by two New Testament disciples: James son of Zebedee and James son of Alphaeus. James later became a recurring Scottish royal name: James VI of Scotland took the English throne in 1603. After James II lost that throne in 1688, his family’s supporters became known as Jacobites, drawing on the Latin form of James.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Diego through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 126,405
- 126,160 boys · 245 girls
- Most popular year
- 2006
- 8,423 babies
- 2025
- 2,356
- #158 for boys · #15,525 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −11%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 2,351 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 158 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 10.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 8,403 in 2006. It also appeared in 5 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (499). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 129,961 as a first name in 2020; 6,257 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Diego’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Diego shares a linguistic root with the Portuguese form Diogo. In Galician usage, Diego has a related form in James. Diego is a form of James.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Diego has relatives in 23 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
28 related names in 23 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 56
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- ΝτιέγκοGreek
- JacobEnglish
- Thiagoequivalent
- JakeEnglish
- Tiagoequivalent
- Yakovequivalent
- Seamusequivalent
- Jakobequivalent
Show 48 moreShow fewer
- Jacquesequivalent
- Jacoboequivalent
- GiacomoItalian
- JimEnglish
- Jakubequivalent
- Diogocognate · Portuguese
- Yakubequivalent
- Jacobusequivalent
- Jagodoublet · English
- Yaacovequivalent
- Jacoequivalent
- Yacobequivalent
- Jacopoequivalent
- ДиегоRussian
- DydakPolish
- DídacCatalan
- Diegafeminine form
- Яковequivalent
- Iacobusequivalent
- Jiminyequivalent
- Chaimeequivalent
- Jockelequivalent
- Díaequivalent
- Séamusequivalent
- Jaccoequivalent
- Iacopoequivalent
- Jaumeequivalent
- יעקבequivalent
- Jakezequivalent
- Jokūbasequivalent
- يعقوبequivalent
- Jaakkoequivalent
- Yakupequivalent
- Didacusolder form · Latin
- ДієгоUkrainian
- ДијегоSerbian
- DjegoLatvian
- DidacCatalan
- ДыегаBelarusian
- דיעגאָYiddish
- Дие́гоRussian
- دیگوPersian
- 디에고Korean
- दिएगोHindi
- דייגוHebrew
- JakoboEsperanto
- 迭戈Mandarin
- دَيَيغُوArabic
See also 5
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Diego
- Diego MaradonaArgentine football player and manager (1960–2020)
- Diego VelázquezSpanish painter (1599–1660)
- Diego ForlánUruguayan association football player and manager (born 1979)
- Diego RiveraMexican muralist (1886–1957)
- Diego GodínUruguayan association football player (born 1986)
- Diego CostaBrazilian association football playerborn 1988
- Diego SimeoneArgentine association football player and manager (born 1970)
- Diego MilitoArgentine football player (1979-)
- Venustiano Carranza44th President of Mexico1859–1920
Characters named Diego: Zorro (fictional character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Diego, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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